A Loudwater father and son will go head-to-head this Easter at an annual motorbike championship.

Gary Hester, 56, along with son 24-year-old son, Carl, 24, will head to the Santa Pod Raceway in Wellingborough to compete in the ACU UK Drag Bike Championship.

The yearly event has seen Gary finish second on four occasions, whilst Carl won a trophy on his first appearance in the competition two years ago despite not winning the tournament.

And even though they’ll be competitors during the Easter weekend, the father and son hope it’ll be a weekend to remember.

Bucks Free Press: Carl (left) and Gary (right) both live in Loudwater Carl (left) and Gary (right) both live in Loudwater (Image: NQ)

Gary told the Free Press: “It’s really good riding along with Carl.

“He’s been involved in racing since he was a kid and he’s got better and better.

“But I’ve finished second four times and I’m aiming to get top spot this year.

“It’s a knockout competition and the last time we did it, I knocked Carl out!

“It was very close but I just managed to beat him.

“Also, the ACU is also a great social event and we’ll have a lot of family coming up to watch us.”

Gary first started to take part in drag racing in 1989 after he had purchased his first motorbike.

Since then, he has entered events across the country and the Republic of Ireland, winning several tournaments along the way.

But participating in the same competition with his son has made the experienced rider ‘proud’ of both of their achievements.

On how he first got into racing, he explained: “I was about 21/22 years old, and I had just bought a road bike.

“At the time, there was a magazine called Superbike Magazine that did a competition where street bikes would turn up and race.

“I signed up and even though I didn’t do a lot of winning back then, I was hooked from that moment and have loved it ever since.

“That was the moment when it all started.”

Bucks Free Press: The duo are very much looking forward to the championship in Wellingborough The duo are very much looking forward to the championship in Wellingborough (Image: NQ)

His son, Carl, who has been in the sport since he was a child, added: “I’m feeling confident and I’m hoping to get into the top five and get some trophies along the way.

“This is one of my main hobbies I have and I get such a thrill when I race out of everything, I wouldn’t be doing this without my dad.

“He’s a great inspiration as he’s helped me along the way a lot.

“He’s shown me what I need to do and I’ve managed to do that on my own, but I want to beat him!”